Hark! Some serious wailing and lamenting is emanating from the Christian clown car. It appears that a few of those of the special rights for faith-biased, god-bothering clubs are being threatened by the harsh reality that we do not live in a theocracy. And not a moment too soon, I might add.
New Kennedy Bill Could Remove Religious Hiring Rights Protections
Focus on the Family’s Citizen Link
Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., [pictured] recently sponsored a bill that attempts to amend the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for the first time in 46 years – and remove religious exemptions for faith-based organizations that receive federal funds.
According to the bill, it would affect “licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, pastoral counselors, psychosocial rehabilitation specialists, and any other individual determined to be appropriate by the Secretary.”
Steve McFarland, chief legal officer for World Vision, said this bill has huge implications for religious organizations across the country. Faith-based groups are worried that when Congress returns in mid-September, the Democrats may attempt to, through a simple budget resolution, implement the dangerous language throughout all levels of government.
(emphasis: mine)
Seriously? When did language opposing discrimination in hiring by organizations wallowing in taxpayer’s money become “dangerous?”
World Vision’s SteveMcFarland claims: “It’s not just the organizations that receive federal money that has something to lose here, but every religious citizen and organization, because what would be amended is the statutory protection in federal law for all religious exercise.”
(emphasis: mine)
What utter crap! This bit of false-witness-bearing is nothing more than an attempt to raise the hackles of the uninformed flocks of the radical religious right and send them rushing to their gun racks. Their constitutional right to exercise their religious beliefs is guaranteed in the First Amendment. There exists, however, no constitutional right to discriminate against other faiths and non-faiths using taxpayers’ money.
These professional prevaricators need to stop pretending this threatens their religious freedom. Nobody is threatening their right to be a bunch of jerks and nobody is threatening to jail them for discriminating against those who don’t share their beliefs. They just won’t be able to discriminate against their fellow citizens on the taxpayer’s dime.
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Please take a minute to send a supportive email to Rep Patrick Kennedy. And, be sure to ask your elected representatives to support HR 5466.
